


And Now These Three Remain

by tiasworld93



Category: Grantchester (TV)
Genre: Episode Related, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-20 09:33:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18989998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiasworld93/pseuds/tiasworld93
Summary: Daniel's thoughts during his scenes with Leonard in episode 3x06.





	1. Faith

**Author's Note:**

> Massive thank you to my betas, incoherentpiffler and lilliburlero!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set during the search, early in the episode

“You! Yours is the house on the end?”

Oh hell. He can see where this is going. So much for being a good neighbour, a helpful member of the community. Now he’s getting singled out and there are police everywhere.  
The best he can do is keep his responses brief, civil, polite.

“Now, we all know what you are. We all know!”

Daniel’s heart plummets into his stomach. His mind starts to scramble, to search desperately for something to say. 

“What’s that, Mr Riley?”

His breath holds in his throat. The next moment is everything, and here’s Leonard stepping to his aid. There’s silence, an emptiness in the air as Leonard repeats his question, and everyone seems to be holding their breath along with him.

Riley’s unwillingness to finish his accusation is a relief, and Daniel manages to breathe again as the man turns away. They all gradually follow, but the burning eyes on his back take a few moments to move on. Sidney gives him a tiny nod before moving away to continue the search.  
Leonard steps forward again, and stands by his side for a moment, their arms only inches apart. He doesn’t say anything - it wouldn’t be safe even if either of them knew what to say. But they stand there, just taking in the rushing water.

Then they move apart, each moving to take his place in the line.


	2. Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The scene in the vestry

It’s the first time he’s been in the vestry, but it seems right to step into this space to say thank you. The immediate demurring from Leonard he could have predicted, but it’s rather sweet nonetheless.

“It was brave of you.” 

He’s never felt the need for a knight in shining armour before, and certainly Leonard is not precisely the first choice for a knight, but that kind of quiet defence both shook and bolstered him in equal measure.

“Bravery is a not too distant cousin of folly, I’ve always thought.”

Ah, that’s the kind of self-deprecation he’s come to expect. Daniel takes a moment to be a little blunter, to vent his frustration of people’s awful expectations. He’s almost taken aback by the honesty in Leonard’s tone as he responds, and he wonders who “people” refers to. That idea of openness and willingness to think about sexuality makes him wonder how far Leonard’s own self denial extends, and a thought strikes him. The engagement. The photographs. As painful a session as that had been, he’d been quietly hopeful for a good future for Leonard, if not too hopeful. When the photographs hadn’t been collected, he’d ventured to hope.  
The confirmation that the engagement is off sparks a hopeful flame, but he really is sorry to hear that the hopes of a quiet pastoral vicarage life had been dashed.

There’s a moment of pause between them, both unwilling to acknowledge the probable reason why the relationship had ended, and he has to look away. That his eyes land on Leonard’s stretching wrist is accidental, but he can’t tear himself from the scab across veins.

He knows what that is. 

He can’t help reaching out. That Leonard doesn’t stop him is remarkable, just allows Daniel to hold his wrist, all the while trotting out the polite lie. But neither of them are ignorant enough to believe that it looks accidental, and he trails off under Daniel’s scrutiny.

Daniel can only let his heart thump in his chest as he holds the fine boned wrist in his own and worries. He’s seen this before and he can only hope it doesn’t happen again- he won’t lose another friend to despair.

“Leonard…”

He won’t speak further on the matter now, but his tone says that he knows what the scar means. He treasures every moment he’s allowed to hold this hand in his own, and he has to acknowledge the pain. Bending to kiss it away is all he has to offer, and he’s thankful to feel the pulse under his lips, still beating.

The moment is almost endless.

It starts to break as Leonard pulls away, but he’s grateful to have had such a moment. Leonard, clearly flustered at the tenderness, has to move away and carry on, whilst Daniel just takes the moment to himself as he watches him leave.


	3. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kiss!

He honestly loves his job, and the delight in seeing the newly minted Mrs Chapman with her boys is beautiful. Every bride is beautiful, but never more so than when surrounded by loved ones. It’s only professional pride that prevents him from demanding more so that he can keep watching Leonard.

When his role has wound down and he’s packed most of his kit away, he takes a moment to get some air. The party is in full swing, it’s warm and noisy, and his heart pangs with a jealousy he cannot name.

The evening is beautiful and clear, and he’s enjoying the peace when he hears faint footsteps. When they appear beside him, he’s not entirely surprised to look over and see Leonard. The man clearly has something on his mind, and the flame of hope rekindles faintly in Daniel’s chest even as he fears they’ll never speak again.

“Maybe people aren’t ready for us to be honest.”  
Their conversation the previous day floods back to Daniel, and he can only wonder where this is going.

“We should at least be honest with ourselves.”  
He’d pray if he thought it would do any good. Leonard has come to him with that earlier courage and he only hopes he deserves it.

All becomes clear as Leonard leans towards him with determination in his eyes and that flame bursts into a conflagration of joy in his heart as their lips finally meet. He reaches a hand into Leonard’s wonderfully soft hair and feels fingers slide to cradle his own head. This moment, yes this moment can live forever. Later he will raise his glass in a toast to love, half watching Leonard, but in this moment it is just the two of them.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from 1 Corinthians 13:13 - "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."  
> (New International Version)


End file.
